What If Trump Forces TikTok Into A U.S. IPO?

It's not as far-fetched as it sounds. With President Donald Trump's latest executive order extending TikTok's U.S. ban deadline to December 16, and a framework deal now in place between American and Chinese officials, the idea of TikTok going public in the U.S.—under American ownership—emerges as a compelling possibility.

The current deal, hammered out in Madrid this week, calls for TikTok's U.S. operations to shift to "U.S.-controlled ownership." While no buyer has been officially named, Oracle Corp. (ORCL), Silver Lake, and Andreessen Horowitz are reportedly part of the investor consortium that would take control of roughly 80% of TikTok's U.S. business. Trump himself hinted at the deal on Truth Social, saying "young people… will be very happy," and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed the commercial terms are already agreed upon.

Here’s What A TikTok IPO Would Achieve

But here's where things get interesting: if Trump wants to cement the deal as a win for national security, economic leverage, and political optics, forcing TikTok into a U.S. IPO is a prospect that shouldn’t be ruled out. (While no official IPO talks have surfaced, the structure of the deal leaves room for this outcome.)

Why? Because an IPO would do three things at once:

1. Create transparency around TikTok's ownership, finances, and data practices.
2. Give U.S. investors a stake in one of the most influential platforms on the planet.
3. Send a message that American capital markets—not Chinese tech giants—control the future of global social media.

The probability isn't low. Trump has already shown a willingness to use executive authority to extend the TikTok ban deadline multiple times. He's also made it clear that he wants a "fair" deal that respects national security concerns while preserving TikTok's cultural value. An IPO would check both boxes.

What Would A TikTok IPO Look Like?

ByteDance could spin off TikTok's U.S. assets into a newly incorporated American entity, backed by the investor consortium. That entity could then file for an IPO—likely on the NYSE or Nasdaq—giving retail and institutional investors access to a platform with around 140 million-150 million U.S. users. Oracle would likely retain its cloud infrastructure role, and ByteDance could license the algorithm under Chinese law, preserving some control while satisfying divestiture requirements.

Of course, there are hurdles. China would need to approve the licensing of TikTok's algorithm, which it considers sensitive intellectual property. ByteDance would need to navigate U.S. scrutiny over data governance. And Trump would need to finalize the deal with President Xi Jinping, with talks reportedly scheduled for Friday.

But if all goes through, a TikTok IPO could be one of the most-watched listings in years—part tech spectacle, part geopolitical theater. And for Trump, it would be a headline-grabbing win: saving a wildly popular app, securing U.S. control, and delivering a market moment Wall Street wouldn't forget.

In short? Don't rule it out. The pieces are already moving.

Read More:

• Trump Hints TikTok Deal Is Locked In—Youth ‘Will Be Very Happy’

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